Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Blue Jay/Wild Bird

Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)

Blue jays are common just about everywhere in eastern North America in deciduous woods, coniferous forests and even residential backyards. The one above lives in Algonquin Provincial Park and is looking for a handout. Notice his/her crest is lowered. Apparently they lower their crests when they are feeding.

Another blue jay

This one is also hanging out where humans are tossing out peanuts. And some people are holding the nuts in their palms. While gray jays - whiskeyjacks - like their peanuts shelled...

Blue jays are incredibly beautiful but I am not fond of them. When I was wee, perhaps 5/6, there was a blue jay that would attack me every time I went outdoors and yank hair out of my head. That autumn my father was cleaning up outside after a storm and came across the jay's nest.....completely lined with my hair!

Blue Jays do have a reputation for being naughty, but I still can't get past their beautiful coloring. You really captured the richness of their blue feathers in these pictures, plus how fun they are to watch when they are eating a peanut in the shell. Bet you had a few chuckles on the camera shoot :)

the best blue jay pics i ever got were at the park, we were throwing peanuts like this to the squirrels. the jays would sit in the tree and watch and when we threw one would dive on it before the squirrel could, one even dived and caught the peanut in the air.

Nicely captured! It's fun to see all the different jays around the country. I think I've seen 3 around these parts. The Stellar, Mexican and Scrub. Either way, Jays are fun birds to have around the gardens and feeders:)